Robert L. "Bob" Schoenwald II , 66, died in Madison, WI at the Hospice center on September 11, 2010 after a long illness.

Bob was born in Minot, ND on December 11, 1943, to Robert L. Schoenwald and Bertha Schoenwald (Beuchler) of Minot. He graduated from Minot High School in 1962 and started college at Minot State College, transferring to the University of Montana at Missoula as junior. He received both his BA and MA degrees from the University of Montana. At both Minot State and the University of Montana, he excelled in and relished debate, winning a number of awards. After completing college, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He completed Officer Candidate School and the Infantry Officer school and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and was ordered to Vietnam. He served a full tour in Vietnam in a mechanized infantry battalion and was discharged as a 1st Lieutenant with a Bronze star in 1970.

After his military service, Bob served as a group home counselor providing structure and supervision to teenage children unable to live in a traditional home. While performing his group home activities he also enrolled in Law School at the University of Wisconsin Madison and received his Juris Doctor in 1978. As a lawyer, he was committed to representing the underdog and the poor and chose not to pursue the economic trappings of law. He retired from law and began working in international shipping for a computer manufacturer. His service-connected disability forced his retirement from this work in 2002. Though suffering from declining health for many years, he maintained an unbelievably non complaining attitude and was always gracious and engaging with family and friends. He also never lost his interest in a good argument or critiquing those in politics.

Bob is survived by his sister, Carolyn Schoenwald (Auen) (Michael) of Savannah, GA, nephews Robert (Cindy) and Chad Ohly of Madison, WI and niece Karen Paurus of Minneapolis, MN and four great nephews and nieces.

He was predeceased by his father, Robert L. Schoenwald, his sister, Kathleen Ohly, of Minot, and his mother Bertha Schoenwald Haugen of Minot and Cooperstown.

Funeral service: Friday, September 17, 2010 at 1:00pm in Bethany Lutheran Church, Minot.
Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens, Minot, with a memorial remembrance to his mother, Bertha Schoenwald Haugen who recently died on May 3, 2010.
Visitation: Thursday, September 16, 2010 from 4:00-7:00pm in the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.